Bedding elements in the form of conventional mattresses are produced in accordance with two very different techniques. Thus there exist mattresses including a metal internal structure, more generally referred to as “spring-interior mattresses”, and mattresses including one or more blocks of foam, referred to as “foam mattresses”.
However, because of their dimensions, such conventional mattresses are often heavy and difficult to transport. Moreover, stocking such mattresses proves to be extremely costly because to meet the requirements of their clientele a vendor must be able to have available a set of mattress designs of different sizes and with different characteristics.
Thus there is proposed in the document FR 2 563 420 a mattress made up of elementary spring elements articulated to each other by means of zips or hooks-and-eyes.
Now, zips or hooks-and-eyes can compromise the flatness of the mattress. Moreover, the presence of upstanding portions of zips or hooks-and-eyes can prove uncomfortable or disagreeable for a user.
The document FR 2 730 914 discloses a mattress formed of a plurality of blocks made from elastomer foam each having lateral edges and horizontal main surfaces. The lateral edges of the various blocks have cut-outs of complementary shape to enable the blocks to interengage in one another.
In the same way, the various blocks when assembled prove not to form a flat mattress with the result that a user may be troubled by the irregularity of the surface of the assembly.
Moreover, it proves necessary to assemble a large number of blocks to enable a mattress of respectable size to be obtained on which a user can stretch out.
Thus the document EP 1 329 177 describes a mattress including a non-deformable structure that comprises one or two receptacles. The two receptacles are then each intended to receive a synthetic material sub-mattress and the sub-mattresses can therefore be adapted to the needs of a user.
However, the structure receiving the sub-mattresses itself proves relatively bulky and heavy.